1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a label printing and label cutting apparatus, and, particularly, to such an apparatus having an applicator for applying a printed and cut label to an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
In labeling objects such as packages, envelopes and the like, an apparatus is typically provided with a supply roll of label material on a continuous backing web or the like. Alternatively, the label material can be "linerless", i.e., without backing material. Typically, the label material on the backing is advanced from the supply reel past a printer which can provide desired indicia, such as text and graphics, onto the label, in addition to any indicia already pre-printed onto the label. The backing material is then advanced over a label separator roller or "peeler" bar onto a take-up reel while the label material, separated from the backing material, is advanced to a cutter and label applicator. By means of the cutter, the printed portion is cut from the continuous web of label material and is transferred to an object, such as package or envelope or the like, by the applicator.
The label cutter can comprise a lower fixed cutting blade and an upper guillotine-type blade which is mounted for oscillating movement with respect to the fixed cutting blade. Examples of prior art cutters of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,853 and commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/717,497, filed Sep. 20, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,023.
In order to ensure that the label affixes to the object onto which it is applied, an adhesive is often applied to a rear side of the label and allowed to set after the label is applied to the object. For convenience, the adhesive is often applied to the continuous label material prior to severing a discrete label portion from the continuous web. These types of guillotine-type cutting mechanisms often accumulate the adhesive on the cutting edges or blades as the label portion is severed from the continuous web. As the adhesives accumulate and set on the knife edges of the upper and lower blades, the movable blade can shift laterally with respect to the fixed blade causing labels to be improperly cut.